Patient advocate and writer Mary Shomon has written several wonderful books centered around the topics of thyroid dysfunction, metabolic disorders, autoimmune disease and weight loss. I love her informational page on About.com. Mary is not a medical doctor, but began researching these issues passionately as a result of being diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease in 1995. I can relate to her frustration in not being able to find solid, hopeful answers through traditional medical channels. Shortly after my hysterectomy, I had so much information swimming around in my head...and books and articles piled on my desk...that I felt compelled to creat a natural women's health website devoted to menopause. View it here, if you are interested in some other menopause topics. But, I digress...
Right on target for today's post is her book written in 2004, entitled Living Well With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. As it turns out, many of the symptoms of menopause-- brain fog, weight gain, difficulty sleeping and joint/muscle pain all over the body--are also symptoms of a slow thyroid (hypothyroid). So is there a connection between menopause and thyroid dysfunction? A lot of experts out there are saying YES. In my own personal health struggles, this makes a lot of sense.
After reading what Ms. Shomon had to say, and digging into various other articles and alternative health books, I asked my nurse practitioner to consider the possibility of sub-clinical hypothryoidism. What does this mean? Well, when I went to a yearly physical about a year after my hysterectomy, the doctor ordered the routine blood tests. The results showed my thyroid function to be in the normal range. Problem is, that range may not be normal for me, nor for a lot of other women! There are numerous experts and medical practitioners who accept the premise that some of us may feel better and function better at a different number. Thankfully, my nurse practitioner agreed to allow a trial period on a very small dose of thyroid medication (Armour). I am far from feeling 100% again, but I can't tell you how amazed I am at the difference from then to now. It has helped my brain fog and the water weight gain for sure. Time will tell what other positive changes will occur.
I could go on and on, but will stop for now! We will pick up this topic again soon. In the meantime, check out these tremendous books:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment